Love and Tenderness
by iloveromance
Summary: A minor injury sustained while Daphne is home alone brings the opportunity for a lesson in first aid for Niles, who isn't at all comfortable with the idea.


_**A/N: In a very rare occurrence, I wrote this on a whim without the need for pen and paper. I love when that happens. **_

Daphne brushed the sweat from her brow and walked into the garage, grateful that her project was finished. It was a lot of hard work and had taken her all day, but the result was worth it. She hoped Niles would be pleased, for she wanted it to be a surprise. But now she was exhausted and all she wanted to do was take a warm shower and get cleaned up.

When the supplies were neatly returned to their proper places, she opened the back door and stepped into the kitchen. Her rubber shoes came off immediately, as did most of her clothing. She was grateful that the Montana came equipped with a laundry room right off of the back door and she quickly tossed her soiled pants and shirt into the hamper, intending on getting to them as soon as she'd taken a shower.

There was dirt all over her hands, and, most likely on her forehead where she'd wiped her brow. She couldn't very well walk through her home in such a manner. Niles would be furious as his tolerance for messiness was very low. And consequently that tolerance had rubbed off on her a bit. Since they'd gotten married nearly two years earlier, so many things had changed in her life; the most prominent being that she'd fallen even deeper in love with Niles than before. And she only hoped that their love would continue to grow.

She moved through the kitchen eager to wash her hands and make herself somewhat presentable for her trek through the house. But as soon as she removed her cotton gloves, she winced in pain, not once but twice. "Bloody hell..." she muttered, feeling the pain shoot through her body.

A glance at her hand, which was covered in dirt, revealed nothing about the source of the pain but the stinging returned with each touch of her finger as she rubbed gently on the side of her hand just above her wrist. And when she turned on the water and let it run over her hands, the source of the pain was still a mystery. However, that mystery was soon solved. Carefully she took the liquid soap and poured the tiniest bit in her palm, rubbing her hands together vigorously. The simple of washing her hands hurt more than she cared to admit, and when her hands were clean, even the soft touch of a dishtowel brought pain.

But once her hands were dry, she brought the one that hurt closer to her face. And that's when she discovered the source of the pain; a splinter lodged deep into her skin. She'd had plenty of those as a child, obtained during afternoons of play with her older brothers, who loved to climb fences and trees, both which had plenty of splinters. And it seemed that they were experts in removing them, as was her father. But that had been years ago and she was at a loss over what to do. Suddenly she remembered. Of course; the tweezers. The closest pair was tucked away in the bathroom deep in her cosmetic bag at the bottom of a drawer. But the thought of digging for it now, when she was still wearing filthy clothes was unappealing. So she'd just have to endure the pain for a little while longer.

She made her way upstairs wincing in pain with each step. Perhaps once she stepped into the shower she'd forget all about the silliness of her pain. The warm water that ran over her body was like a hug and she relished the feeling. Soon she was clean and when her hair was brushed and towel-dried, she quickly changed into some jeans and a sweatshirt and returned downstairs. She was almost finished cleaning up when she heard the unmistakable sound of the door unlocking. Her heart skipped a beat; for the man she loved with all of her heart was home.

The pain pushed far back into her mind, she ran down the stairs, hurried into the living room. She smiled at the sight of her handsome husband, dressed neatly in a grey suit and a green tie. It was a deep contrast to her choice of clothing, which was more suited for a baseball game. But it was the little differences between them that made her love him so much.

"Hello, Sweetheart." She said, increasing her pace as she went to him. "How was your day?"

"It was fine, my angel. How was yours?"

She moved toward him, eager to be in his arms. "Well, actually it was quite productive. You see, I-." The second she put her palm on his chest, she drew back, wincing in pain she stared at her hand. "Bloody hell."

Immediately he was concerned, as he always was. "Daphne? What's wrong? What is it?"

She held out her hand. "Oh, it's this bloody splinter! It hurts even worse now-Oh! I…"

"How did that happen? Who did this to you?"

She wanted to laugh at his concern, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. "Niles, I did it to meself! I was working in the garden and-."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Y-You mean _you_ planted those flowers?"

She smiled. "Yes, I did. What do you think?"

"They're beautiful. I never realized how much color just a few flowers could add to our home. But you didn't have to go so to so much trouble. I could have hired a gardener, or-."

"I wanted to do it, Niles, I-Oh _damn_, this splinter! How can such a small thing hurt so badly?"

He took her hand gently in his. "Here, let me see what-." His eyes widened at the sight of the long sliver of wood that was embedded even deeper under her skin.

"DEAR GOD!"

"Niles, now don't panic, all right? It's just a-."

"We have to get you to the hospital right away, Daphne! Why didn't you call me? I wouldn't have made that impromptu stop at Vino Verite to see if that Pacific Rim Riesling had come in yet. Dear God, I wish you would have called!"

She took his hands in hers, despite the pain it caused. "Niles, Sweetheart, it's all right. I'll be all right, okay? It's just a splinter."

"But Daphne, that's horrible! Why didn't you tell me that you're in such pain?"

"Because it's fine Niles! It's happened before many… Oh damn… this throbbing just won't stop! Here… run upstairs to our bathroom and get me cosmetic case."

"There's no time for that! I-I really think we should get to the hospital."

"No, Niles, I'll be fine. Now please just-Ohhhhh… Please, just do this for me, okay, Sweetheart?"

"Um… All right. W-where are they?"

"Bottom drawer near my sink. It's a bag with blue flowers on it. Just get it and bring it down here, please?"

"But Daphne, I really think-."

"Don't think, Niles, just go… Oh, this hurts so badly!"

He was staring at her in horror and she was sure he was about to have one of his attacks, but she was in too much pain to help him. She could only pray that he could find his way upstairs and back down on his own. But as it were he was frozen in place, still staring at her.

"Niles, bloody hell, will go help me? This hurts! Oh damn…"

"A-all right. Don't move, okay? I'll be right back."

He turned and rushed up the first set of stairs and she smiled weakly at him. "I love you Niles." But he froze once more. "What's wrong?"

"Wh-why would you say that to me?"

The question surprised her. "Because I do! What did you think I-."

"Um, never mind. I'll be right back. Just… don't move."

She smiled at him even as he disappeared from sight. She loved him so much. Her hand was throbbing even more now and she studied the splinter that was embedded into her hand. If it wasn't in such an awkward place she could have removed it a long time ago, but this was something that she couldn't do on her own.

And so she sat on the fainting couch while she waited for him.

He was back in a flash, out of breath, his hair disheveled and the blue flowered bag in his hand. "Here, Daphne."

She took the bag and kissed him. "Thank you, Sweetheart. Now, there should be a pair of tweezers in her somewhere… Oh man, where did I put them?" She grumbled as she rummaged through the bag with her good hand. "I know they're in here somewhere. I was just using them somewhere."

"Daphne, I really wish you'd let me take you to the hospital."

"And be charged a fortune to wait in the Emergency room for hours on end? Niles, no, this isn't that serious!"

To her dismay, he looked as though he was about to cry. "But Daphne you're in pain, and we have plenty of money-."

She kissed his mouth so tenderly, that she felt tears spring to her eyes. "I know we have money, but I don't need to go to the Emergency room. I promise, I'll be fine in a few minutes. Just take these tweezers and I'll tell you what to do."

His eyes widened and she thought he might faint. "M-me? Y-you want me to do this?"

"Well there's no one else here, and I can't do it myself so-."

"Th-then I'll call Frasier…o-or Dad… or-."

"Sweetheart, your brother is in Boston visiting Frederick and your father is on that fishing trip to Canada with his friends, remember?"

"Yes, of course, Daphne but I really think-."

"Don't think, Niles… just help me, okay?"

"But what if I hurt you, Daphne? I can't-."

"You won't Niles. You couldn't."

"But-."

She took his hand in hers and turned his palm upwards, placing the pair of tweezers in it. "Just sit here next to me, all right?"

"But it's so deep, Daphne."

"I know, so we'll just have to break the skin a bit."

He gasped, his skin turning a sickly shade of grey. "B-blood? Oh, I don't think-."

"No, there shouldn't be any blood, Niles, not for removing a splinter. It's just the top layer of skin. It'll be all right. Now come on…"

He swallowed hard and put the tweezers between his fingers, his hand trembling so badly that Daphne placed her hand over it. "Sweetheart, just relax, okay? Take a deep breath. You can do this. I know you can."

He did as she asked, inhaling deeply and then steadied his hand.

"Now… you see that brown line there, in me hand?"

He nodded, looking like a frightened little boy and her heart went out to him. "All right. Just press it into me skin."

He brought the tweezers to her skin, pressing so gently that she suppressed a smile. "I-I can't…"

"Yes you can. Please? Do this for me?"

"But Daphne-."

"Do you love me, Niles? Do you really love me?"

"Daphne, you know I do. I love you with everything I am."

"And do you remember when you burned your hand in the kitchen at Frasier's while we were making dinner for Mel?"

"Daphne I don't want to talk about Mel right now-or ever, okay?"

A slight hurt came over her at the sound of his ex-wife's name, even though she was the one who had mentioned it first. Now she regretted it. "Niles, that's not what I meant."

He looked away and she gently turned his face toward hers. "When you burned your hand, I didn't hesitate to help you. You were in pain and I was in a panic because I couldn't find the aloe cream. And when I rubbed it on your hand, I couldn't help thinking about how soft your skin was. I think it was that moment when I realized just how in love with you I really was."

A dreamy look came over his face. "Oh Daphne… I…-."

She kissed him once more, deeper than she intended. "I love you, Niles Crane. Everything will be fine, okay?"

His eyes met hers and he sighed deeply. "All right, but please tell me if you feel any discomfort."

"All right I will."

He brought the tweezers to her hand and pressed until the skin was broken. She bit her lip, trying not to wince at the pain it produced and she watched him trying to move the tweezers until he found the splinter, which was now even more prominent than before. She almost cheered with happiness as the tweezers closed around the small piece of wood.

"I-I think I've got it now."

"That's wonderful, Sweetheart. Now just move very slowly and pull it out."

Another deep breath. "A-All right. Here it goes."

She wasn't thinking about the pain as she watched him with the intent of someone watching open heart surgery and miraculously the splinter slid out of her hand. Their eyes met and he gasped in disbelief. "I-I did it!"

"You did!"

"I-I really did it, Daphne! I can't believe-Oh my!"

They began hugging and kissing in triumph, neither of them caring that they were cheering over something completely silly. "I'm so proud of you Niles! I love you so much!"

"I love you too, Daphne. I love you so-." He stopped and stared at her once more.

"What's wrong?"

His eyes lowered "Y-your hand…"

"It's fine, Niles. Thanks to you, see?" She held up her hand which, despite the small incision-like mark, was as good as new. "I'll just go wash it off and-."

"No. Wait here."

"But Niles…"

"I'll be right back."

Her eyebrows rose. "All right but where are you going?"

He rose to his feet and leaned to kiss her forehead. "I won't be long. Just sit."

"But Niles-."

And then he was gone.

She was still studying her hand when he returned moments later carrying the first aid kit. "What's that?"

"I want to take care of you, Daphne. The way you took care of me."

"But Niles, I'm fine. I-."

He sat down and popped open the lid, rummaging through the contents inside. "Ah, here we are."

She regarded him curiously, amused as he removed a gauze pad, some aloe cream and a thick roll of tape. "Niles, what are you doing with all of that?"

"Taking care of the woman I love."

"But-."

He silenced her with a kiss. "It won't take long."

She watched in amusement as he removed the cap from the aloe cream and dabbed some onto his finger. And then he rubbed it gently onto the place where the splinter once was. His touch was gentle and her mind went once more to that day that she tended to him in the kitchen at Frasier's. "I wish I would have told you then." She sighed.

"Told me what? When?"

"That I loved you. In your brother's kitchen when you burned your hand. I'm so sorry, Niles."

"That's in the past, Daphne. We're together now and that's all that matters. Our love will last forever."

She was staring at him so intently that she hadn't that her hand was no longer bare. It was covered with a bandage, lovingly tended to by her husband, as though she'd been badly injured. The sight made her grin. "Thank you so much, Sweetheart."

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Much better. I can't thank you enough for this. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Daphne."

"Do you really, Niles? Do you really love me?"

"Daphne we've been over this already. Of course I do. I-."

She grinned mischievously and began to loosen his tie, sliding it off of his neck in the most seductive manner possible. His breathing became staggered the way it always did when she began to undress him. "Don't be nervous, all right? I'll be very gentle, the way you were with me."

His lips found hers, kissing her with a passion that made the blood rush through her body, she wanted him so badly that the urge was hard to resist. Her fingers trembled as she began to unbutton his shirt and she stared at his chest. It had been a warm day and he'd forgone his usual white shirt underneath. The sight of his bare skin was almost too much to handle and she pushed the shirt off of his shoulders as they kissed even more intently. "I love you, Niles. I love you so much."

Her head tilted backwards as he trailed kisses down her neck to the neckline of her sweatshirt and she closed her eyes, sighing contently. "Show me how much you love me, Niles... right here. Right now..."

"D-Daphne, don't you think we'd be more comfortable in the bedroom-in our bed?"

She stopped kissing him and gave him a seductive smile. "I certainly do but we can't."

His eyebrows rose. "Why not?"

Her face was just inches from his and she stared into his eyes, feeling his breath warm and sweet on her face. "Because that will take much too long."

THE END


End file.
